Cablegate: Fm Peters' Comments On the Us-Nz Relationship: Nz Media

VZCZCXRO0062
RR RUEHNZ
DE RUEHWL #0486/01 1770653
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260653Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2949
INFO RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 0814

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000486

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/PD-AGRIMES, EAP/P-K BAILES, EAP/ANP-DRICCI, INR/R/MR

E.O. 12985: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR OPRC PREL NZ
SUBJECT: FM PETERS' COMMENTS ON THE US-NZ RELATIONSHIP: NZ MEDIA
REPORTS

1. SUMMARY: In recent comments Foreign Minister Peters has made to
the NZ media he describes America as a "wonderful country" and says
he is "glad that America leads the free world."

Minister Peters says he hopes the bilateral relationship can be
improved, but he cautions New Zealanders against elevated
expectations of deliverables from his upcoming visit to the United
States.

He also denies any anti-American sentiment behind his release of
National Party emails. END SUMMARY

ON HIS VIEW OF THE UNITED STATES:

2. On June 3, 2006, Minister Peters was on Agenda TV, New Zealand's
only long- format political interview program. He was asked directly
to sum up his attitude regarding the United States.

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT:
Interviewer: So what's your own view of America then?

Minister Peters: I think America's an amazing, wonderful country. It
is many countries in many ways; it has its problems, but I'm glad
that America leads the free world and not some other country. END
TRANSCRIPT.

ON HIS UPCOMING VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES:

3. During the television interview and in media reports of his
appearance before a parliamentary select committee, the Minister
said he sought a "better relationship with the United States" but
cautioned against "hype" and New Zealanders' elevated hopes of his
upcoming visit to the United States.

The Agenda TV interviewer, Lisa Owen, sought his view on the likely
results of his upcoming U.S. visit:

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT:
Interviewer: So generally speaking, what would you want to come out
of a meeting; you say you don't want to go with no results, so what
would the result be that you'd be looking for?

Minister Peters: Well, first of all we've had 21 years of what is
largely a stalemate; it's time to move these things forward, and I
have my own private views. I share them with my officers as to what
is achievable in 2006 and beyond; and rather than hype them up and
make all sorts of statements against which people are going to try
and measure this after 21 years of a stalemate, I'm going to try to
get on as the All Blacks do -- let the rugby do the talking and let
the policy do the talking in this case.

Interviewer: Would you like to meet with George W. Bush?

Minister Peters: I don't intend to meet with George W. Bush; that's
not what one would expect as Foreign Minister. That is a prime
ministerial visit; I'll stick with the Secretary of State,
Condoleezza Rice. END TRANSCRIPT

4. The June 23, 2006, edition of New Zealand Herald (New Zealand's
largest circulation daily, Auckland-based) reported comments
Minister Peters made about the bilateral relationship during a
select committee hearing.

BEGIN TEXT: Questioned on his visit next month to the United
States, Mr. Peters said he did not want to beat it up beforehand.

"I intend to go at the time that I judge it appropriate and to
ensure that we, as a consequence, have a better relationship with
the United States.

"It has been my observation over many years that some Foreign
Ministers have done a marvelous job, to quote my former colleague
Mike Moore, [and] "spent their time around those parts of the world
pulling on doors marked 'push.'" END TEXT

The Herald also reported Minister Peters saying:

BEGIN TEXT:
On the United States: "I don't want to elevate New Zealanders' hopes
without having the clear capacity to get a result in that area." END
TEXT

5. The June 23, 2006, edition of the Dominion Post
(Wellington-based, second-largest nationwide circulation) reported
the same parliamentary hearing under the headline, "Confident Peters
Steals the Show," noting that "Winston Peters swept up to his first
grilling as foreign affairs minister, flashed his trademark grin,
and declared, 'It's show-time.'"

BEGIN TEXT: The questioning quickly turned to the United States and

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when Mr Peters -- who showed off his US-friendly credentials by
sporting Congressional cufflinks -- hoped to visit and what he
wanted to achieve. END TEXT
After reporting the same comments as above regarding former NZ
foreign ministers and ensuring a better relationship with the US,
the Dominion Post went on to report:
BEGIN TEXT: Mr. McCully [National Party Foreign Affairs
spokesperson] tried again. Mr. Peters said the timing of his visit
was a matter of diaries, but talks with US Assistant Secretary of
State Christopher Hill gave hope the relationship could be improved.
However, he did not want to raise expectations without "having the
clear capacity to get a result." END TEXT

ON HIS RELEASE OF NATIONAL PARTY EMAILS:

6. During the June 3 Agenda TV interview Minister Peters underscored
that there was no anti-American intent to his release of National
Party emails regarding employing American strategists to work on the
National Party campaign for the last election.

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT:
Interviewer: Well, you did in recent times release this Don Brash
email, which obviously showed that the National Party had been
having talks with American strategists. How do you see that fitting
in with your role as Foreign Affairs Minister? Because some people
suggested that there was an anti-American sentiment attached to
that.

Minister Peters: It was utterly wrong; for goodness sake, there's
nothing wrong with talking to Canadian political parties, the UK
political parties, Australian political parties, or American
political parties for that matter. It's when you deny it, that's
simply what happened: he denied it. There was no sin in talking to
them, I've talked to them; we all have, but we don't deny it. Now
the Americans are big enough and strong enough in this robust
democracy to understand exactly what this is about; it is not
anti-American in any way, shape, or form to point out that someone
who wishes to be a leader of the country and a Prime Minister is not
telling the truth.

Interviewer: So your motivation in releasing that email was in your
mind to show up a dishonesty?

Minister Peters: Precisely -- that's what I did. END TRANSCRIPT

MCCORMICK

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